In a mock battle of words prior to an MTV Lip Synch Battle show, a celebrity contestant who shall remain unnamed told comedian Tol A$$ Mo that he was getting accustomed to low ratings. While the crowd laughed, I thought of the news I had received earlier regarding the comedian’s reality show, Mo Love, which features him and his wife, Mome Nale and their hectic lives. Surely they could not be returning for a third season if their material was not in demand.
But, as it turns out, the comedian and his designer wife are back in a new season of Mo Love. We are learning more about how they live together with their toddler and navigate the entertainment business.
The beauty of this show from the start was its honesty. We had a couple, an up-and-coming (at the time) comedian, and his designer girlfriend. The pair were interesting to look at thanks to their flamboyant dress sense. They were eager to share their private lives with South Africans and it paid off. The rule that this couple respected was that of not being pretentious, bearing in mind that as public figures, their successes or failures are verifiable. So if Tol A$$ Mo says he has a gig, you can actually go to it and see him there. The same applies with Mome.
Still on the issue of authenticity, this couple do not conform to the rules of reality TV where the participants have meaningless arguments. For a married couple it was would be acceptable that they fight, but this pair do not subscribe to theatrics.
It all probably has to do with the fact that Parental Advisory Productions (PAP) is the company that made the TV show. This is the company that is owned by the established TV personalities Siya Ngwekazi (Street Journal, V-Enter-tainment), Lungile Radu (Rhythm City, Big Brother Mzansi) and Thomas Gumede (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom). These men have more than 26 years of combined TV experience so they know what works. They are also the guys behind shows like Lova Back, Goal Diggerz and Mandla & Lexi, all of which are successful.
The rule that these young producers follow is simple; in reality TV, just keep it simple and true. That is what South Africans are looking for on TV and not some dramatic exchanges. Tol A$$ Mo and Mone have shown us things like their wedding.
Outside of Dineo’s Diary, there is no celebrity-based reality TV show that gets people talking like Mo Love.
l Look out for Mo Love at 6pm on Vuzu (DStv Channel 114).